End of Hearts’ ‘Scottish’ hopes

Elsewhere Hill of Beath Hawthorn were back in form at Newtongrange Star and they collected three very valuable East Super League points.

Kelty Hearts 1,

Kilwinning Rangers 2.

HEARTS produced their worst performance of the season to fail to make the last eight of the Ethx Energy ‘Scottish’ cup.

Kilwinning Rangers have been having a difficult time in league football but have produced some good Scottish Cup performances so Kelty player/boss Thomas Courts was aware that this would be no easy task.

Hearts won their appeal against Stephen Husband’s red card which the midfielder picked up against Camelon last week and he was able to play although leading marksman Scott Dalziel was missing through having to undergo an operation and Stuart Cargill was back in the starting 11.

A superb crowd of 920 packed in to Central Park but they saw a rather flat start from Hearts.

Kilwinning were lively going forward and twice went close to opening the scoring.

However, at the other end Hearts threatened through Brian Ritchie, then the noisy home support was silenced by a long throw which ended with Ricky Hanvey brilliantly heading past recalled Kyle Allison to give the visitors the lead.

Hearts tried to come back immediately but the Rangers defence were on top of their game and at the break that goal separated the sides.

There was another shock for Hearts at the start of the second period when a good finish from put Kilwinning two up after a miss-kick gave Ben Lewis a chance and he coolly netted from 12 yards, but back came the Hearts and they started to push forward.

There was a blow for Hearts when Ritchie was red carded for a fierce midfield challenge but soon after the Buffs were reduced to ten after a tough challenge went in.

There were several close calls around the Rangers goal and eventually Sean O’Neil blasted the ball into the net from close in after good work by Husband.

Kilwinning were finding it hard going now and Cargill went close with a fine shot.

It was all Hearts in the closing moments but super defending by Rangers saw them through.

A very disappointing day for Kelty who have had to many good ones this season, but the Scottish Junior Cup still eludes them.

Newtongrange Star 2,

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 3.

AN excellent result for the Haws which puts nine points between themselves and the bottom three sides.

After a run of disappointing displays they went to Newtongrange and took the game by the scruff of the neck from the start and were well worth their win.

Hill of Beath started the game pushing forward and had a couple of early chances which were spurned but in 19 minutes Stevie Forbes put the ball through for Calum Adamson to run into the box and slip the ball past the ‘keeper.

It was all Haws and in 25 minutes they doubled their lead, when from Adam Moffat’s corner Rikki Dair was pushed in the back and Moffat stroked away the penalty award.

There were other chances for Hill of Beath but they were two up at the break and shortly after the re-start Aaron Hay’s 19 yarder hit the post, but Star took advantage to break up the park and pulled one back.

Haws did not panic and soon after Greg Smith restored the two goal league with a brilliantly taken 22 yard free-kick.

Star had a man sent-off for a last man challenge but strangely it made Newtongrange more determined and in the closing minutes they pulled one back when visiting ‘keeper Stuart Hall could not hold a shot and the rebound was fired home.

Haws held on though to move on to 23 points and 11th spot in the Super League table. Boss Bobby Wilson was very happy with the performance: “It has been a hard few weeks for the lads since the Scottish Cup defeat at Kelty but they went out and produced just the performance we needed against a hard working team.

“We scored some cracking goals and were well worth the win.”

Dundonald Bluebell 0,

Musselburgh Athletic 1.

A DISAPPOINTING result for Bluebell who were hoping to go far in the Conservatory Converters Fife and Lothians Cup.

But opponents Burgh were well set-up and they managed to defend well at key times in the game.

Dundonald opened the game pretty well and put together some good moves but the finish would not come and in 38 minutes the visitors grabbed the lead when James Lennox could not hold a low shot and the re-bound was knocked home.

The Moorsiders came back at the Athletic but they led at the break and in the second period Bluebell continued to look for a goal only to find the Musselburgh team battling hard to keep them out.

Dundonald went close on several occasions with Mark Forbes and Scott Lawrie very unlucky not to hit the target but it was just not the Bluebell’s day.

Home boss Stevie Kay was frustrated by the result: “We had to piece together a squad through injuries and players being cup-tied but we gave a team who is a solid Super League outfit a good game and had chances to take it to a shoot-out.

“We just could not get the breakthrough when he needed it after the interval.”

Crossgates Primrose 2,

West Calder United 5.

A SHOCK home heavy defeat for the Primrose who were never really in this South Division fixture after making a good start to the game.

Primrose took the lead in 18 minutes through Steven Prattis but West Calder levelled in 32 minutes and three minutes later took the lead.

However, Crossgates came back at the Lothians side and Liam Forbes squared things with a well struck penalty kick.

However, in the second period West Calder just took over control of the game and once they went in front the Primrose challenge weakened.

They added a fourth and as Crossgates through players forward to try and get back in the game the visitors added number five to make it a bad day for Primrose who stay in the bottom five.

Broughty Athletic 2,

Lochgelly Albert 0.

A STRANGE D J Laing East Of Scotland Cup-tie with the South Division side having the bulk ofm possession but losing out to the Super League team.

The game was switched to Dundee due to Gardiner’s Park being very soft in places but it was Lochgelly who were soon on the attack and in 17 minutes Stevie Brown hit a fierce 30 yarder which the Broughty ‘keeper finger tipped over then ten minutes later Jack Wilson’s header produced a fine save from the Athletic last line.

Lee Wilson, in the Berts’ goal had little to do but the visitors just could not turn their possession into goals and at the interval the scoreline was blank.

Nine minutes into the second period Broughty took the lead when a snap shot beat Wilson but after that Berts had much of the play and worked the home ‘keeper.

Then in the closing minutes Scott Murray’s shot hit the ‘keeper on the ankle and the ball stayed out but the hosts went up the park and grabbed the second goal.

Scone Thistle 5,

Lochore Welfare 2.

NORTH Division leaders Scone eventually wore down a spirited Welfare side in Perthshire.

Thistle started the match brightly and grabbed the lead in two minutes and when they added a second in 15 things were not looking good for the visitors.

But the Lochore side settled and on the half hour Dean Ewing reduced the leeway from a corner to make the break score 2-1.

Scone were rattled by that goal and Lochore tried for an equaliser but were beaten back and Scone got the key third in 50 minutes and went 4-1 up on the hour.

Welfare’s young side re-grouped and following another corner Kevin Brown made it 4-2 but a late goal for Scone restored their three goal advantage.

Saturday’s fixtures: East Super League, Kelty Hearts v Jeanfield Swifts, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Lochee United, Carnoustie Panmure v Dundonald Bluebell. South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Livingston United, Pumpherston v Crossgates Primrose. North Division, Lochore Welfare v Brechin Vics (all games 2.30pm).